Air-brake.



3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. B. WRIGHT.

AIR BRAKE APPLICATION FILED OUT. 9, 1907.

No. 888,566. PATENTED MAY 26, 1908. J. B. WRIGHT. AIR BRAKE APPLICATIONFILED 00 9, 1907. 3 SHEETS BHEET 2 I/vi tn eases T T B. WRIGHT. PA EN EDA 1908 AIR BRAKE APPLICATION FILED OUT. 9, 1907.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

. Wm y i i--- Eg O O O O O D 0 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 1 0 0 OO O O O O O O O O 0 O O O O O O O O O 0 0 O D 0 O m mum) Y \Hlllll i NIa train pipe,

ting device for eachof UNITED srarns rgrnnr OFFICE.

JOHN BUNYAN WRIGHT, OF GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.

AIRTBRAK'.

Application filed October 9,

To all whom it may concern:

Be'it known that I, JOHN B. WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Greensboro, in the county of Guilford and State of NorthCarolina, have invented a new and useful Air-Brake, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a para'tus of that class employed forautomatically operating the brakes of a railway train in case ofderailment, or-in the event ofmovement of the truck or trucks to anabnormal position with respect to the body of the car. In devices ofthisclass, as heretofore constructed, it has been usual to employ aseparate brake setthe trucks, and to valve or valve conplace in thetrain pipe a but this has been nection for each truck,

found to some extent objectionable, owing to the numerous train pipeconnections with the consequent increase of danger of leakage and in thematter of expense of applying a separate valve mechanism .for eachtruck.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to materiallylessen the cost of installation and the dan er of leakage in the bytheemp oyment of a single valve in connection wltli each car, and toprovidemeans whereby said valve may be operated from each of the trucks.

A. further object of the invention is to so arrange and construct themechanism that the valve may be located at any suitable point, either atthe center or at the end of the car, or at such other point 'as may bedeemed advisable by the typeof car to which the device is applied.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of valveand train pi e connection and to provide a pair of in ependentlyoperable means,- each of which may be moved for the purpose offorcing-the valve to 0 en position without afiecting the position 0 theother.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a valve structureof such nature as to' readily permit cutting off of-the valve in caseany of the parts are disarranged or broken. 5

A still further object of the invention is to provide-means for lockingthe valve in open position'after the operation of either'of the valveactuating devices, sothat' in case the latter should return to'normalposition after Specification of Letters Patent.

a momentary operation ofthe valve, the

Patented May 26, 1998.

1907. Serial No. 396,652

latter will not be closed and the train piiple pressure will be reducedto an extent su cient to insure an emergency application pf the brakes.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an' improved formof truck connection which will insure ositive opening movement of thevalve in the event of derailment of the truck or in case a truck shouldjump to a siding as the train is crossing aswit ch, or in the event ofan abnormal movement in any direction of either the truck or the body ofthe car. r

With these'and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafterappear, the invention consists in certainnovel features of constructionand arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims,'it being understood that various changes in the form,proportions, size and minor details of the structure may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a-side elevation illustratingthe application of the invention to an ordinary form of passenger,freight, or flat car. Fig. 2-is a similar view showing the arrangementof the valve at one end of a hopper car. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan viewof the valve. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the same on theline 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is avertical section of the mechanismarranged at each car, the view being in a direction transverse of thecar. Fig. '6 is a sectional plan view on the line 6+6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7is a plan view of the cam bar carried by the bolster or other part ofeach truck.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingthroughout the several figures of the rawmgs. i

- The valve mechanism is arranged within a casing 10 that is carried bya bracket or hanger 11 of any suitable size and shape and arranged to bebolted or otherwise secured to the under side of the car latform, to thesills, or to the end portion of a hopper or similar car, or in any otherositionmost suitable to the type of car on w ich it is to be employ ed.At one end of the valve casing is an airentrance chamber 15 that isprovided at one end with a threaded nipple 16- for the receparts ' trainpipe.

interfered with, except when anism is operated. At a central point inthe c exposed to train pipe pressure.

' pressure quickly and brakes.

At a point between the valve and the tram tion of one end of the trainpipe r, and at the opposite end is an externally threaded nipple 17 thatis coupled to the section as of the Between the two train pipe sectionsextends a cylindrical strainer 18 in order to prevent the passage ofdirt from the train pipe into the valve casing. This ar rangement avoidsthe necessity of employing a separate T-branch on the train pipe and thecontinuous flow of air through the pipe is not the valve mechcasing 10are internal threads for the reception of a valve seat plug 20 that isformed of brass or other similar metal. This plug has a central passage21 at the inner end of which is a conical seat for-a valve 22 that iscarried by a stem 23. At the opposite end of the stem is secured a disk24 thatis normally pressed outward by a helical compression spring 25that surrounds the stem of the valve and is seated in a recess'in theouter ortion of the plug 20; This spring tends to hold the valve to itsseat and the seating operation is assisted by the pressure of air in thetrain pipe, the whole area of the 'valvebeing The passage 21communicates with a circular chamber 28 from which lead one or moreports29 to the periphery of the plug, and that portion of the valve casingopposite the chamber 28 is provided with an annular recess 30 from whichlead a number of discharge ports 32, 'soithat in case the valve isoened, the air may pass from the train pipe through the port 21, thechamber 28,'and thence through ports 29 and 32 to the outer air,reducing the train pipe to an extent sufficient to result in anemergency application of the pipe connection is located a conical plugva ve 34 having at one end a stem 35 for the application of a key orwrench. Should any of the parts of the mechanism become broken or out oforder, it is merely necessary to turn this valve in order to cut offthe'mechanism for that particular car without affectin the mechanisms onthe remaining cars o the two plugs 40 train. I v v At the outer end ofthe casing 10 1s an enlarged chamber provided with two diametricallyopposed o enings in which are fitted bushings 36 of rass or similarmetal, these being held in place by small pins or keys 37. Through thesebushings pass rock shafts '38 that extend to the actuating mechanismofthe trucks. F

pendent of each other, and to the head of- These shafts are whollyindeeach is secured a double operating cam 39.

The cams for convenience are formed 'of iron or steel and eaeh'is boredfor the reception of and 41 that may be formed of brass or other metal.The lugs are renewable, so that in,case of wear 1t Wlll be a simple'pins 54 carried one 111g arranged to form nient of the same, and as thecam continues to revolve, the adjacent plug 41 will be brought into engaement with the dislg forcing the latter iina ly to the dotted lineposition and opening the valve to'a suflicient extent.

It has been found in practice that the cam or cams may be turned butmomentarily and will not retain their valve opening position owing tobreakage or derangement of the truck connections, and as this in manycases will not result in the desired reduction of train pipe pressure,it has been found desirable to employ means for locking the valve in theopen position.- For this purpose a pivotally mounted locking awl 40 1semployed, the operating end 0 the pawl being normally pressed againstthe periphery of the disk 24 by a spring 41, while the tail 42 of thepawl projects through a suitable opening orrned in the valve casing.When the-disk 24 1s moved inward to a sufficient extent, the

pawl '40 will be forced inward by the spring 41 and will engage againstthe outer face of the disk, thus locking the same from return movementunder the influencev of the spring and air pressure and holding thevalve locked inthe open position so as to insure the-desired reductionin train pipe ressure and the resultant applicationof the rakes. a

To the under side of the car body at a point adjacent each of the trucksis secured a' casin 50 that isprovided with a cylindrical bore or thereception of avertically movable cylindrical stem 51, and to the lowerend of this stem is secured alink 52. of approximately fusiformin,contour, tapering slightly toward each end, and the weight of thestem and link is carried by a helical tensionspring 53'thateXtendsbetween two other by the stem 51. v

' One side of the casing50 is enlarged and is provided with a verticalrecess 55 opening intothe bore of the casing, and through the walls ofthe recess extends a cylindrical opention of one end ofvthe rock shaft38, and this shaft may be formed of a single member extending fromthetruck to the valve casing, or it may be formed of a number ofsections, especially when it straight line.'

Securedto the rock shaft at a point within .the recess 55 is a rocker.arm 56 having a rounded outer end that fits within a recess 57 Each linkis a bearing for the recep- 1 must follow other than aby the casing andthe in the upper portion of the stem 51.v The] parts are so adjustedthat under normal conby parallel'bars 66, and the distance between thetwo bars may be increased or diminished.

Projecting from any suitable portion of the truck, as, for instance,from the bolster or one of the transoms, are two horizontally disposedbrackets 60 to which are secured two cam plates 61 that are rigidlysecured together by a horizontal bar 62. The bar and plates are fastenedto each 'other by rivets or bolts 63 and one of these forms a supportfor a revolubly adjustable disk 64. The two disks carry crank pins 65which are connected by turning the disks with the rivets or bolts camplates cannot 63 as centers.

Each disk and each cam plate 61 is provided with an arcuate row ofopenings 68, all of these openings being equi-distant from the center ofmovement of the disk. These openings are arranged for the passage of asecuring bolt 69, held in place.by a nut 70. When it is desired toadjust the distance between the. bars 66 the bolts are removed and thedisks are turned to the desired extent,

after which the bolts are inserted through the newly alined openings inthe disks'and plates and-the parts are secured in position. Thisstructure as a whole constitutes an operating cam that coacts with thelink 52 to operate the valve. The cam bar is supported by the structureWhile the link is carried .by the body of the car and should there beany abnormal movement of either member with respect to the other, thebar and link will be brought into engagement and the link Will be movedvertically, such movement being transmitted in the manner previouslydescribed for the purpose of effecting opening movement of the valve. I

If the truck is derailed and moves downward, the bar will engage thelower arm of the link and the stem 51 will be pulled downward. Shouldthe truck jump a-switch and tend to followa siding while the train istraveling on a main line, the abnormal turning movement of the truckwill result in the turning of one or other of the cam plates 61 intoengagement with the link, and as these ass through the links they mustmove the. atter either up or down and movement in either direction willresult in opening movement of the valve. Any abnormal rocking movementof the car will bring the link into engagement with the reladerpractically all'conditions the car is safeguarded and an emergencyapplication of the brakes will result in case of danger.

In hopper gondglas and other forms of hop- I per cars, there is utlittle if any room below theear platform, and in such cases it may be'desirgable to place the valve at a point above the car platform andunder the hopper. This arrangement is shown in Fig. 2.

The rock shafts are formed in sections, the sections 38* which extendfrom the valve being provided-with crank arms 70 and the sections 38'that extend from the truck actuated mechanisms being provided with crankarms 71. The cranks are connected by suitable rods or links 72 for thepurpose of transmitting the movement. This merely illustrates one methodof arranging the valve at a point other than a direct line from thetruck actuated mechanisms.

1. In apparatus of the class described, a train pipe opening valve, anda pair of independently operabletruck actuated mechanisms, eachincludinga valve engaging member arranged to move the valve to open positionindependent of the other member.

'2. In apparatus of the class described, a

3. In apparatus of the class described, a V

single train pipe opening valve on each car, independently movable valveoperatlng devices carried by each truck, and operatlng connectionsextending from said operating devices to the valve and including valveengaging cams arranged to operate independent of each other.

4. In apparatus of the class described, a train pipe opening valve, apair of valve operating mechanisms arranged one on each truck, rockshafts extending from the operating mechanism to the valve, and means onsaid rock shaft for moving the valve to open position. 5

-5. In apparatus of the class described, a train pipe opening valve, apair of relatively movable actuating devices arranged at each truck,rock shafts extending from said actuating devices to the valve, andindependent cams carried by the rock shafts and arranged to open saidvalve.

6. In apparatus of the class described, a valve casing connected to thetrainpipe, a spring closed valve in said casing, a dlsk connected to thevalve, a rock shaft, a cam disposed on the rock shaft and arranged toengage the disk, and a truck'actuated device for imparting movement tothe rock shaft.

truck actuated member for imparting m0 vement to said rcck shaft.

8. In apparatus of the class described, a

valve casing connected to the train pipe, a

valve seat plug arranged therein and provided with a central passa e,and a valve seat, a valve arranged to c ose against the seat, said valvebeing subjected to the train pipe pressure, a stem carrying the valve, adisk secured to the stem, a rock shaft journaled in the casing, acamcarried by the rock shaft and arranged to engage the disk, and a truckactuated mechanism for imparting movement to said rock shaft.

9 In apparatus of the class described, a caslngconnected to the trainpipe, a valve jected to the train pipe pressure, a stem carrying thevalve, a disk secured to the stem, a spring engaging said disk andtending to move the valve to closed position, a rock shaft journaled inthe casing, a double cam carried by therock shaft and provided withremovable wear pins, and a truck actuated means for operating said rockshaft. 4

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN BUN YAN WRIGHT.

Witnesses:

JAs. M. WALKER. I II. B. STRAIT.

